Item – Theses Canada

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OCLC number
935756135
Author
Hristov, Jasmin,1978-
Title
Violent systems of capital accumulation : paramilitarism and the Colombian armed conflict.
Degree
Ph. D. -- York University, 2013
Publisher
Ottawa : Library and Archives Canada = Bibliothèque et Archives Canada, [2014]
Description
4 microfiches
Notes
Includes bibliographical references.
Abstract
<?Pub Inc> This dissertation is about the role of violence in processes of capital accumulation in Colombia. While multiple forms and motives of violence are present in Colombian society, it is possible to discern one pervasive and persistent kind of violence capable of reproducing itself that is of central importance to the armed conflict and any future prospects for peace. It rests upon the fusion of economic and political power, is spearheaded and organized by considerable part of the Colombian capitalist classes, and is facilitated through the support of various state institutions. The phenomenon of paramilitarism is the very embodiment of this kind of violence. Renee, the central focus of my dissertation is the nexus between the paramilitary, capital (local and foreign), and the state in Colombia. By tracing major patterns of class formation and conflict throughout Colombia's history from colonial time until present, this work analyzes both the economic underpinnings of violence and the integral part that violence has played in the capitalist development of the country. In the last 50 years the development of paramilitarism has been crucial to contemporary processes of capital and class formation, and particularly in land-grabbing, extractive industries operations, and the repression of struggles against privatization and austerity reforms. Their multi-faceted nature, destructive capacity, relationship to the state and elite, and the fact that for half a century they have been one of the principal actors in the Colombian conflict, altogether make paramilitary forces an intriguing object of study. Yet, for now the latter remain largely under-investigated. The first objective of this study is to capture comprehensively the mechanisms, strategies and logic of paramilitarism, and explain its reproduction and evolution over time by drawing on a broad range of empirical material. The second objective is to propose a new analytical framework for understanding the dynamics and evolution of the paramilitary-state relationship and for situating paramilitary bodies within the wider politico-economic context. While this framework is grounded in the Colombian case, it can also be helpful for discerning key elements in the foundation and structures of twenty-first century paramilitarism in Latin America.
ISBN
9780499001290
049900129X